When you wish upon a star.. makes no difference who you are..
You can surely decorate like Walt Disney too!
In the previous article, we learned about Victorian Design Style in the living room. Today, our focus is going to be on the Kitchen. During the Victorian Era, the kitchen worked "inward" instead of "outward" as it does today. Previously, there would have been a large kitchen island in the middle with a durable work surface. The island was not used for eating but prep work and mixing. Today, we do most of our cooking and prep work on the outer perimeter of the kitchen. Kitchen sinks were originally made of wood and were often lined with lead or copper. Subway tile originally lined around 36" inches of the wall from the floor up and then a chair rail was attached with wallpaper going up to the ceiling.
Let's take a look at the GORGEOUS Victorian Era inspired kitchen.
Sink- The item that most of us like in an old kitchen is a farm sink. A farm sink is exposed and it sits inside the cabinet. It has one section and is often very square, deep and made from cast iron. It allows the user to stand directly in front of it with no counter or cabinets in between. The Victorian faucet looks perfect in this kitchen as well and is called a "gooseneck".
Lighting- There are three types of lighting used in this kitchen. First, under-mount lighting allows subtle light focusing on the counter. The vintage school light over the farm sink is another use of accent lighting which provides a stronger light than the under-mount. Finally, the ceiling lighting provides the main lighting in the room. All in all, there are the three layers of lighting in this space. Did you ever think about Layering your Lighting? Another designer way to add interest in the room.
Counters- In the Victorian Era, the furniture used in kitchens was freestanding and had wooden tops. This kitchen has a darker granite counter to contrast with the white cabinets and match the floor. Another popular counter material to reproduce a victorian kitchen would be marble.
Cabinets- As stated earlier all kitchens had freestanding furniture and no upper cabinets. These cabinets are the most basic you can get and are called a "shaker style" cabinets. This is style is very clean with no ornate lines or curves. It is a five piece cabinet door with a recessed center panel. All the way to the right you can see that the refrigerator looks like a cabinet as well. There are knobs on the cabinet doors and drawers and pulls on the refrigerator and freezer and the dishwasher. The top cabinets are vintage pressed glass and a half moon circle wood design on top to add interest and I think the glass is to replicate that in an original Victorian kitchen there were no upper cabinets. I just love this way to add interest. I almost forgot the crown molding at the top.
Knobs, and Faucet Finishes- All of the knobs,faucet and the light finishes in this room are brushed nickel. You will see in a later photo, the knobs and the pulls from the cabinets are not even from the same collection. Typically the long pulls are for more of a contemporary kitchen and the pulls are engraved and look more for this kitchen but again because they are the same color, they blend beautifully. They also added a nice faux element in the kitchen, can you guess what it is?.... The window behind the kitchen sink actually goes into a hallway that has the washer and dryer. Such a cool look to make you feel you are looking outside.
Backsplash- I adore this take on subway tile! Instead of the same rectangular tile, they have added a diamond pattern with a dimensional square in the middle. It adds so much unique character. You will also notice this shape everywhere around the room. Take a peek back in the living room, you will find the diamond pattern in several places like the tufting in the green chair, the half diamonds on the coffee table and in the lattice work in between the kitchen and living room!
Another view and you can see how the brown granite top coordinates with the brown wooden tile floor. You can also see how the glass on the cabinets looks old and the knobs are engraved.
The kitchen sink is classy, made by Villeroy and Boch.
An up close look of the Victorian Era pattern on the knobs.
Our final photo represents the dining area. This area had to be well thought out because of the amount of people needed to be accommodated in the kitchen. The seating is a rounded L shape with a durable vinyl on the seat with a coordinating back fabric. Notice how it has those same subdued colors on the back that match with the furniture in the other room. There are also to additional green striped chairs on the end. Look underneath and you will notice the wainscoting on the face of the bench. These designers have thought of everything. There is a brushed nickel quatrefoil light above with a cute Grand Floridian frame in the back with plates like Mickey Ears. What a cute project that would be with thrift store plats and an empty frame! There is the lattice work again in between these two rooms. Take note of the lattice pattern, you will see that again soon!
HERE ARE A FEW ITEMS THAT CAN GET YOU STARTED ON THE VICTORIAN KITCHEN LOOK! CLICK ON EACH PHOTO TO LEARN MORE.
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| Ballymore Faucet |
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| Victorian Bathroom Faucet- GREAT PRICE! |
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| 1 Light School House Pendant |
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| Kirch Drum 3 Light Quatrafoil Pendant |
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| Olde London Farmhouse Sink |
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| Mushroom Knob |
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| Bronze Mushroom Knob |
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| Gray Diamond Backsplash Tile |
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| Retro Lantern Tile |
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Fractal Glass Tile
I have searched to the end and back and cannot find the exact or similar white tile. The closest I came was the gray. These other shapes are wonderful as well!
NEXT UP.. DECORATING LIKE DISNEY- GRAND FLORIDIAN- VICTORIAN MASTER BEDROOM!
START SMALL, GREAT DESIGN TAKES TIME- ENJOY!
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